Tales of Casablanca Mansion
by General16
Summary: Casablanca Mansion is said to be a magical place where the ones entering the doors will be either blessed or cursed and this… is their stories. Various pairings: Neji/Shika, Kaka/Iru, Naru/Sasu and Ita/Kiba
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Whoo... a new story for you from me. Hope you like it.

**Warnings:** None for this chapter, but future installments will contain some heavy smut.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own, I do not earn, I just write. All characters and rights belong to Misashi Kishimoto

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><p><strong>Tales of Casablanca mansion<strong>

**Prologue**

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><p>Down a one-way street, where branches of ancient oaks and willows gently sway in the wind, is a mansion. It has been there for 200 years, regal and timeless as it had been built just yesterday. It is said to be haunted by ghosts of the past, filled with memories since long gone. It is also said to be a magical house, that the ones entering the doors will be either blessed or cursed.<p>

Uchiha Itachi always smirked when he heard those rumors. While he believed that they did indeed contain a grain of truth, he had as of yet to see it with his own eyes. Though, there had been strange tales told about people that had been connected with the house throughout the years.

Casablanca Mansion had belonged to his late – and semi-crazy – uncle Madara, and when the old coot died, he left the house to Itachi and his younger brother, Sasuke. Itachi was secretly convinced that Madara had been one of them who'd been cursed by the house, instead of blessed, given the man's utterly horrible personality.

It had been in their family for generations, built during the beginning of the industrial revolution by the infamous Uchiha Katsuro, who had been a libertine and bon vivant extraordinaire, and also totally in love with anything European. It hadn't been looked upon kindly when he took half of his inheritance and hired an English architect to build the "monstrosity" as the other members of the renowned Uchiha clan still referred it as.

Itachi couldn't see how a house that beautiful could earn itself such a nickname. It was a marvelous building from the Georgian era, a masterpiece of red bricks with small baroque and rococo elements, elegant and proportioned as had been the custom back then. Contributed by a small column portico and an actual tower – added by Madara, as he had been an avid fan of the Victorian era – it wasn't bad at all. The leaded French windows reflected the setting sun, making it seem like inhabited and giving it a welcoming atmosphere.

Sasuke huffed beside the older Uchiha, scowling as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't get it." Itachi glanced at his little brother, who caught it and gestured at the house with an elegant wave of his aristocratic hand. "Why is it called Casablanca Mansion? I don't see any Casablanca lilies around here." Itachi smirked and gently cuffed his foolish little brother over the back of his head, ruffling the spiking hair and earning himself a cold glare.

"Because, my dear fool for a brother, it was named after the flower beds filled with those flowers 200 years ago. I guess the name stuck", Itachi answered and began to walk, quickly followed by Sasuke.

"Okay so I can get that. What I can't understand though, is why Madara left it to us. He hated our guts", Sasuke argued as they walked up the tiled aisle leading up the three, wide steps. The shadows cast by the four columns on each side fell over them when they neared the door, the shiny wood twisting their reflections as they stopped in front of it.

"He hated every human being on this planet, Sasuke", Itachi offered when he put the key he got from the lawyer in the lock and turned. The door swung open with a slightly, ominous creak that seemed to spook the younger Uchiha.

"I know. That still doesn't explain why he wanted us to have it." They stepped into the lobby, a wide, open space with what seemed as a sea of marble floor and a wide, curved stairway with intricately, carved banisters. Their steps echoed as they slowly looked around, marveling at the high and painted ceiling.

Itachi smirked again when he noticed that the scene up there was from a famous painting. Made of the artist Tiziano Vecelli all the way back in the Renaissance, it had been to decorate the Duke of Ferrara's study. It was simply called Bacchus and Adriadne, and Itachi marveled over the cheer likeness with the original as his smirk widened.

Trust the good ol' Katsuro to have something like that in his house, something that embodied his free spirit. He wondered to himself how much his ancestor had paid the artist, because whoever made it deserved all the praise he felt.

"Whoa…" Sasuke's impressed exclaim said it all, while Itachi simply agreed with a simple:

"Hn. Let's go and check out the rest."

"But what should we do with it? I'm only 17 and you already have your condo. We don't really need it", the younger brother pointed out as they took left, into what must've been some sort of living room. A fireplace big enough for Itachi to stand upright in caught their eyes, the mantelpiece in black marble a beautiful work of art with carved cherubs at the corners.

"I plan on moving here as soon as the remodeling is done", Itachi replied absently. At the other side of the lobby was a dining room big enough to fit at least 50 people with no problem, three windows from ceiling to floor letting the sunlight in.

His fingers left a trail in the dust accumulated on the long mahogany table in the center of the dining room, and once again he marveled over the cheer size.

"Yeah that's what I – wait what? Remodeling?" Sasuke trotted after his older brother as they explored the bottom floor, discovering the huge kitchen, a laundry room, a pantry as big as Itachi's whole apartment and something that must've been a caretaker's room behind the kitchen.

The French windows didn't stop in the living or dining room, but was all over the place; giving the already huge rooms the illusion of being almost endless.

"I plan on remodeling the upper floor to five, small condos. I'm going to rent them out." Sasuke stopped behind Itachi, as the elder briefly stopped to look out over the garden outside the kitchen, admiring the way the willows framed the sunset.

"…and you didn't plan on discussing this with me?" Sasuke frowned. They went back to the living room and discovered a door that let them enter into a library still filled with books, something Itachi eyed with barely hidden giddiness.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his brother and asked himself, not for the first time, whether he was adopted or not. How else could he explain the differences in their personalities?

"As you just said, you're only 17. And I also didn't think you were interested in this place", Itachi answered a little distractedly, only keeping half of his attention on the conversation while he scanned the books lining the walls.

"But it's still mine too, I should have a say in it", Sasuke protested, getting annoyed when Itachi only hummed noncommittally. "And why do you even want to rent it out in the first place?"

"Obviously because I don't need the whole space to myself, little brother, and also because it's a shame for a house like this to be allowed to stand empty and fall into decay. It's going to cost me to run this place by myself too, so I thought it wasn't such a bad idea to rent some of the rooms out." Sasuke scoffed again as he put his hands in his pockets.

"We're not poor you know, and even without the Uchiha fortune you make enough by yourself to live a life in luxury until you die."

"Yes, but where is the fun in that?" Itachi turned on his heels, leaving his brother behind as he headed for the stairs, curious to see what was on the upper floor.

"So… you're going to rent it out?" Sasuke's voice behind him stopped Itachi, and he made an effort not to sigh when he turned around to look down on the younger boy, who actually looked a little lost in the lobby due to the space.

"Yes. I'm going to rent it out."

"Che… you're going to need a caretaker. You're not the homiest guy out there." Itachi smirked and turned his back on Sasuke as he climbed the stairs.

"True. But I happen to be the owner of a mansion with 16 rooms and 5 bathrooms and I also happen to know just the right man for the job…"

Casablanca Mansion is said to be a magical place where the ones entering the doors will be either blessed or cursed and _this_… is their stories.

TBC…

_Teaser:_

_Of course he'd heard of love at first sight but never believed in it. Hell, he hadn't believed in love at all. By meeting Nara Shikamaru's calm gaze Neji was proven wrong, even though he wasn't aware of it right away..._

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><p><strong>AN:** Sooo... gimme your thoughts by leaving a comment or two ^^_  
><em>


	2. Chapter 1

**Warnings:** Smut, smut, smut... and dirty language too ^^

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><p><strong>Tales of Casablanca Mansion<strong>

**Tale One**

_The Contractor and the Assistant_

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><p>Elegant brows furrowed for the fifth time in an hour as a crash echoed. Opaque eyes slowly shifted from the laptop in his lap to glare at the ceiling, wishing whoever caused the frequent crashes to the ninth level of hell. Hyüga Neji huffed and went back to the computer, trying to ignore the annoyance from being disturbed every freaking other minute.<p>

How was he supposed to get any work done if he wasn't allowed even five minutes without disruptions? With a grace envied by both men and women, he pushed the long, brown hair spilling over his left shoulder back, absently wondering if he should get a haircut, or at least invest in a hair tie.

Another crash, a muffled yelp and several bumping sounds had him jumping in the easy chair. Glaring absolute murder at the library ceiling, he closed the computer and leaned back in the chair, defeated. He closed his eyes as he raised his hands to rub his temples with long, elegant fingers, trying to stall an oncoming migraine.

Neji still couldn't understand why his boss insisted to be in this wretched house during business hours, silently seething and cursing Uchiha Itachi all the way to oblivion and back. He had a perfectly functioning office downtown, so why the hell would he want to spend the time he should be working in a house that was under reconstruction?

A tired sigh escaped sculpted, full lips and he slowly opened his eyes again, slowly taking in his surroundings. While it was true that Casablanca Mansion was a beautiful house and that Neji didn't mind spending some time there, he didn't want to do his work as Itachi's assistant in a freaking library, while constructors on the floor above him made a racket. However much he liked said library or the warm atmosphere.

Neji was a simple man; all he wanted was some peace and quiet when he was working, and it made his performance better. A mocking voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Itachi, the bastard, whispered askance if he wasn't up for the task? As he was by himself and without witnesses, Neji allowed a scowl to overtake his otherwise blank face.

He was more than up for it, and told the voice so, feeling a little better and quite ridiculous when he was done. When the fourth crash in the matter of fifteen minutes echoed down through the ceiling, Neji had had enough. He rose from the chair with an annoyed growl, and stalked out of the library for the purpose to find his procrastinating employer.

The bottom floor of Casablanca Mansion was done with the repairs and now the working crew had begun with the upper floor. Three set of rooms were finished a while ago and now one set of those was Itachi's private domains. It was there Neji was headed, to talk to Itachi or even beg if he had to, to be allowed to return to his office.

He had a sneaky suspicion though that Itachi only kept him in the house to mess with him, as the man he worked for was the Devil in disguise after all. He briskly climbed the curved staircase, not stopping to admire the carved banisters, or glance up at the amazing ceiling, as he did it every other time when he was alone.

He came up into a wide corridor that ended with a huge wall made of glass down where the workers were. It was supposed to be a window, but as it took up all the space where it should have been some resemblance of walls… it was a wall of glass accordingly to Neji. The contractors were remodeling the rooms down to the right, while Itachi's was located to the left.

Down at the other end of the corridor, Neji stopped and rapped his knuckles over the heavy wooden door, not even waiting for a reply before he wrenched it open and entered. Itachi had designed the rooms himself, no self-respecting architect would do otherwise, and Neji was forced to admit that the man was indeed a genius.

The small condos were planned to consist of three rooms each, two bedrooms and one lounge. All the bathrooms and the rooms downstairs were meant to be communal and maintained by a caretaker. Itachi had forgone the second bedroom in favor of a study, leaving him with a small home with all that he needed despite the fact that he'd be forced to share some spaces. Neji walked through the living room towards the French doors at the other side, and stepped outside.

Sunlight bathed the wide, stone balcony that ran along the entire backside of the mansion, making it possible for every tenant to have access to it too, not just Itachi. Though Neji doubted that anyone would want to share it with the eccentric Uchiha, as the sight that met him when his eyes got used to the sunlight made his right eyebrow twitch.

No, however stunningly beautiful the man was, Neji couldn't imagine someone being comfortable to share the wide expanse of marble and stone with the stark naked owner. Itachi didn't acknowledge his employee, as his attention was focused on the canvas in front of him, his right arm moving the brush with gracefully sweeps as he painted.

"Uchiha-sama…" Neji began and stepped closer, far too used to see his boss like this, as the man had an exhibitionist streak a mile wide.

"No", Itachi said, his long, black hair that he usually kept in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck flowing down over his broad, muscled back. Itachi didn't even need to hear what Neji had to say to know what he wanted.

"I… beg you", Neji said with a monotone voice, sounding anything but pleading. "I can't work in this environment. Please let me return to the office." Itachi stopped with his movements for a moment, glancing back over his shoulder, looking at the Hyüga with a mocking glint dancing in his black eyes.

"What's this? Hyüga Neji admitting defeat before a challenge?" The older man's voice was as even as always, but Neji could still detect the sarcasm in it. His jaw tightened and he glared, not even batting an eyelash when Itachi turned around, giving him ample view of his toned and very naked physique.

"As you wish. Would you like the documents on the Dexter project now or later?" he conceded and felt weary, not having enough energy to engage in a battle of wits with Itachi.

"Just put them in my study, I want to paint as long as the sunlight's right." Clearly dismissed when the Uchiha's attention switched back to the canvas, Neji just hummed noncommittally and returned down to the library, sighing for the umpteenth time as he sat down in the easy chair again.

The Hyüga tuned out his surroundings as he went back to his computer, divulging in the numbers and words on the screen until he reached a satisfying rhythm in his work. When so into what he was doing, it almost felt like meditation, a hobby he engaged in whenever he could in order to stay calm and collected. If anything, Neji valued control, felt almost naked and vulnerable without it, and therefor strived to stay above things in every aspect in his life.

Too bad for Neji then, as his life was about to turn upside down in the next ten minutes.

The migraine once again made itself reminded when a knock forced Neji to surface out of the slight daze he'd been into, looking up from the screen to the man standing hesitantly in the doorway. His hair was full with dust from the plaster and his clothes stained with paint, looking rather rugged compared to the pristine Hyüga in his crisp and spotless suit.

That didn't bother Neji though, as supervisor Kotetsu Hagane was supposed to look like he actually did any work.

"Excuse me, Hyüga-san?" Neji resisted the urge to sigh, and instead leveled the man with a blank stare, unnerving the poor sod with his serious, white eyes.

"Yes?"

"Um… we've run into a bit of trouble…" Kotetsu fidgeted, having a hard time meeting those eerie eyes for a period of time. Once again a sigh tried to escape Neji's lips, but he bit down around it and rose from the chair, setting the computer on the table in front of him.

"Such as?"

"Err… well the delivery's running late and now the boss's not sure we're going to make it to the deadline and…" Kotetsu stopped talking when Neji huffed and frowned.

"Running late? Didn't I specifically tell you that the deadline cannot be compromised?"

"Y-yes you did and we're sorry but…"

"Whatever", Neji interrupted; ignoring the way the supervisor flinched at his calloused tone. "That invisible boss of yours doesn't happen to actually be here today?"

Neji had never met Nara Shikamaru, only talked with him over the phone, despite that he was the contractor Itachi hired most frequently.

Nara constructions wasn't a big company, but compensated this by being one of the top three construction companies out there.

And Uchiha Itachi never settled for anything less than the best. Kotetsu looked a little baffled at the curt question, his eyes wide as he pointed over his shoulder.

"Well… yeah, he's right outside taking a smoke but-"

"You go back to work, I'll handle this." The unfortunate man didn't even have the chance to reply before Neji brushed past him, flipping his hair over his shoulder as his head jerked in annoyance. He cursed in his head as he stomped towards the front door, vowing to personally flay Nara Shikamaru if he didn't fix this mess somehow.

_Great, just fucking great. And I bet I'll be the one taking the hit for this one, I'm employed by the most sadistic bastard in history after all. I swear even the Devil himself would be better dealing with than Uchiha Itachi on…_

His internal rant came to an abrupt stop when he stepped outside, the columns of the portico shielding him from the midday sun. It wasn't hard to miss the man; he was standing at the end of the portico, just at the stairs, hands in pockets while lazily leaning against a pillar. The cigarette dangling between his lips shouldn't look that sexy in Neji's opinion and neither should the man himself.

Nara Shikamaru wasn't anything like Neji had pictured. He'd expected a middle aged guy, with a beer belly and a bad haircut. What he got, however, was something so much more than he'd ever imagined. He was tall despite the slouch he stood in, broad shouldered and lean with dark, brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail high on his head.

When he turned his head Neji found himself looking into lazy, brown eyes, staring straight back at him from underneath half lowered lids. A straight nose, thin, well-shaped lips, high cheekbones and a strong jaw completed the picture, and as his eyes locked with the other man's, Neji fell fast and hard.

Of course he'd heard of love at first sight but never believed in it. Hell, he hadn't believed in love at all. By meeting Nara Shikamaru's calm gaze Neji was proven wrong, even though he wasn't aware of it right away.

_...a bad day._

Neji couldn't say a word, not when his throat seemed to have clammed up and a knot of hot, needy lust had formed in his lower abdomen. His eyes roamed over the other man, taking in the obvious toned form underneath the tight fitting clothes.

He'd never known that a pair of old, worn jeans and a white, tight t-shirt could look that good on someone. When the silence stretched out, Shikamaru took a deep drag on his smoldering cigarette, blew out the smoke in a lazy exhale and arched an eyebrow.

"Soo… are we just gonna stand here staring at each other or are you gonna tell me why you're bothering me on my break?" The smooth voice was the same as the one he'd talked to countless times before, easily recognized by the drawling, slightly annoyed timbre.

The question shook Neji out of his daze, and had he been any other person he would've blushed. As it was his cheeks only colored a light pink, barely distinguishable in the shadow on the entryway.

"N-no, of course not. I apologize for my rudeness", Neji quickly said, trying his hardest to compose himself, while internally screaming in horror over the fact that he'd stuttered. Stuttered! He'd never done that in his entire life! Shikamaru regarded the other brunette coolly, arching the other brow when they once again fell into silence.

"Are you just going to apologize? You didn't want something?" This time he did actually blush and a feeling of uneasiness filled him. Suddenly he felt so out of his comfort zone it wasn't even funny, like he'd fallen down into a vortex of battling emotions.

He didn't like it, not one bit in fact. Frowning as he straightened his already ramrod straight back, he finally managed to cloak himself in the last shreds of his dignity.

"Ah yes, as a matter of fact… You are Nara Shikamaru are you not?" The cold tone did nothing to change the taller man's stance, nor did he seem to be taken aback by the chilly question.

"The one and only", he just drawled; taking another deep, smoke filled breath in the process.

"I just received word that a problem with the material deliverance has occurred." Neji's gaze never wavered from Shikamaru's, feeling like he'd been trapped in the unreadable depths and was unable to tear himself away from it. It was Shikamaru who broke the look, glancing up at the sky while sighing heavily.

"Yeah I know, and it's a damn drag if you ask me. Troublesome too. I've waited for those materials for two weeks already." He took a last breath of smoke before dropping the bud, crushing it under the heel of his boot when it touched ground.

"And?" Neji asked when the other didn't speak further, frowning a little while Shikamaru bent down to retrieve the bud. He met the Hyüga's eyes again when he straightened, giving him a slightly annoyed look.

"And what?"

"How are you going to fix it?" Neji finally got a reaction out of the man, as eyebrows shot up and he was leveled with a sardonic glance.

"They've had problems with the import and the materials are at the moment stuck in Customs and they refuse to release it. Troublesome lot down at the Customs office, I tell you." Neji didn't budge from his spot when Shikamaru moved from the pillar, obviously intending to go inside again.

"You didn't answer my question. What are you going to do about it?" Brown eyes flashed, for a moment filled with annoyed vehemence, before returning to the calm, indecipherable look again.

"Didn't I make it clear enough? There's nothing I can do. Not if your boss is inclined to settle with locally produced material instead of that fancy, Italian marble he wanted." Neji cringed and wasn't too successful at hiding it either, wanting to curse out loud when the other's mouth curved in a small smirk.

"Well there you go. Now if you'll excuse me, Hyüga-san, I have to get back to work." Neji remained where he stood as rooted to the ground when Shikamaru walked by, the faint scent of smoke, sawdust and a sweet, musky smell wafting against his nose. He inhaled as he closed his eyes, missing the way the other man let his gaze roam over Neji when he walked by.

"I didn't tell you my name", the Hyüga had enough wit left to retort when Shikamaru was almost past the door. He gave in to the urge to look back over his shoulder as a low, throaty chuckle reached his ears, ignoring the way the sound made his stomach flutter worriedly. Intelligent eyes looked back amusedly.

"You didn't. But then again, I would never forget a voice like yours, Hyüga Neji." Hearing his name said in that lazy, almost sultry intonation had him hard in the matter of seconds, his erection pressing painfully hard against the fabric of his black slacks. Appalled by the way his body reacted Neji couldn't help it and gave his groin a surprised glance.

_What the…?_

Looking back up the way Shikamaru went, a sense of doom slowly crept over him when he remembered the rumors about Casablanca Mansion. And somehow, he couldn't bring himself to believe meeting Nara Shikamaru could be counted as a blessing.

No, he had a feeling that it was more of a curse, one that would haunt him for a long time to come. He lingered out on the entrance for quite the while after that, thinking of fated meetings and a certain contractor. Oh, and also because he had to wait until his erection went down.

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><p>It turned out that Neji was right. During the next week he cursed Shikamaru to hell and back more times than he could count. Why? Because the man drove him mad, that's why, in more than one way. First and foremost because the man was a procrastinating, lazy excuse for a human, and that was just the start! Neji had never met anyone as laidback as Nara Shikamaru.<p>

While he was undoubtedly very good at his job it took him forever to get around to actually do it. He was present only on Itachi's insistence, which was obvious in the way that he could be found outside smoking while looking at clouds for the larger part of his working day. Troublesome was the word he used most to describe everything from going outside, doing his job and even going to the bathroom! It was like it was his freaking catchphrase or something!

Neji knew he'd been on the man's case maybe a little too many times the last four days, always hearing a muttered "troublesome" whenever the contractor caught sight of him. Come on! How was he to get the man to start moving and do what he was paid for otherwise? And Neji didn't really know whether to feel aggravated or insulted either. He didn't complain that much did he?

But the most irritating part of Shikamaru was those eyes… they saw too much in Neji's opinion. Whenever he was forced to talk to the brunette for one reason or another, Shikamaru always looked at him with a knowing little smirk, those brown eyes calmly meeting his without hesitation. Neji couldn't help but feel flustered whenever that happened, as if the other could see all the way into the deepest, darkest corners of his soul.

He felt exposed, as if he couldn't hide who he really was underneath his stern and regal exterior. He was so used to people shying away from his gaze, had heard one time too many how eerie his eyes were and it unnerved him that Shikamaru obviously didn't think so. Greatly even.

He didn't really know how to handle the other man, the feeling of being out of control and forced to follow the other's pace more than a little frightening. To be honest it scared the living crap out of Neji, which unfortunately made him even snarkier than he usually was. Even Itachi had commented on the Hyüga's unusual display of mood swings; going from mildly irritated to heated anger in a matter of seconds several times a day.

He'd set up shop in Itachi's study the day after he'd met Shikamaru. He blamed it on being unable to work in the library as the construction team caused a racket every other minute, and that he couldn't work under those circumstances. Itachi had just cocked an eyebrow and gave him the same, knowing smirk Shikamaru had. He hadn't said anything though, just shrugged and went on with his business, leaving Neji to feel even more agitated.

No, he hadn't moved upstairs only to catch glimpses of Nara Shikamaru. No, he didn't feel even slightly attracted to him, nope never in this life! It still didn't stop him from seeking out the man for whatever reason he could come up with, ignoring the heat of want rushing through him at the mere glimpse of the brunette. So what if he thought the man was stunning? He had eyes hadn't he?

He appreciated a toned body and a nice face as much as any other man did. So what if he indulged in small, innocent fantasies about letting his hands roam over said, toned body, or devouring the other's lips with hot, open mouthed kisses? Okay, not so innocent then but that's not the point!

A man was allowed to dream, wasn't he? And it wasn't like Shikamaru was interested anyway. Neji could maybe, just maybe, admit to himself after swearing his own thoughts to secrecy that he had been flirting with the contractor. Just a little bit to test the waters. After getting no indication whatsoever that Shikamaru felt inclined to respond to the subtle hints, Neji gave up and continued to dream.

It didn't stop them from arguing up and down, though. It was rather the other way around. The more Shikamaru remained aloof and calm, the more Neji pushed the other to get a rise out of him. When that didn't work he turned his nagging into heated arguments. Or as heated as they could get when one seemed bored out of his skull while the other seethed on the inside.

However, after a week Neji felt all too exhausted at the mere thought of just one more argument with Shikamaru, who had turned out to be far more intelligent than his lazy demeanor let on, and actually groaned out loud when Itachi appeared in the door to the study.

"What is it this time?" Itachi smirked, and there was definitely something smug over the amused expression on his face.

"Have you asked Nara when the Customs will release my marble?" Going even more out of character, Neji closed his eyes, reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose and heaved a long, suffering sigh.

"Yes… I have asked him. As a matter of fact I asked him yesterday and the day before that and then…"

"All right", Itachi interrupted, raising a hand as a sign for Neji to stop, though the amused expression remained. "You asked him. Now go and do it again."

Opaque eyes snapped open, wide and disbelieving as he stared at his boss. He did not just say that, did he?

"Excuse me?"

"I think I made it perfectly clear, Hyüga. Go and ask him when my marble will arrive. This delay has been dragging on too long already and I'm starting to lose my patience. Tell Nara to fix it today, or else I'll be forced to look for another firm."

"Why are you so adamant about that damned marble anyway? It's not like you can't afford another sort." Usually, Neji would never, ever dare to speak to Itachi in that kind of manner. The man was scary as hell, a true evil, sadistic bastard and his boss to boot, but then again Neji hadn't really been in full possession of his faculties this last week. Sad what sexual frustration can do to you, really! Itachi, roaring with laughter inwards while remaining his usual, evil self on the outside, just cocked an eyebrow at his assistant's outburst.

"So? I said I wanted Italian marble, I paid for the Italian marble and now I will have my Italian marble. Any objections?" The steam ran out of Neji faster than air out of a punctured balloon, and he hung his head as he conceded defeat before the Devil.

"As you wish", he almost hissed as he rose from behind the desk, stomping past Itachi in the same manner a four year old throwing a tantrum might've done. Itachi swallowed the chuckle threatening to break free, turning around to smirk after his disgruntled subordinate.

"And don't forget to remind Nara of the deadline too while you're at it." Neji stopped briefly just as he was about to step out through the door, his shoulders tensing and chin held high.

"Will do." This time he did hiss and when he was gone Itachi finally allowed himself to laugh. Ah… it never ceased to amuse him to watch oblivious fools tangle themselves in the web of love.

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><p>"Where is Nara?"<p>

Kotetsu turned around at the growled query and blanched. He had seen a lot of scary shit in his life, but an angry Hyüga with eyes blazing and a scowling face like he was walking naked through a thunderstorm was, in fact, the scariest thing he'd ever encountered.

"I-in the basement", he hurried to stutter out, eager to get rid of the pissed off man as soon as possible. He only blinked once before Neji was gone, storming down the curved staircase towards the door under it, to find Nara and take his anger out on him. Well, it was partly his fault anyway! How dare he make Neji feel like this, like he was trapped in a tornado on the way from Kansas to Oz?

Neji liked to be in Kansas, he didn't want to go to the freaking Oz, he liked his life as it was! He didn't need the sexy jerk to laze around in his periphery vision all week long, disrupting his perfect and ordered existence.

Mumbled rants and strings of curses followed in his wake as he made his way down the narrow stairs, into the belly of the house. It consisted of several, small rooms and a wine cellar, and it was there he found the Nara. The man was smoking, making Neji only more pissed. Couldn't the idiot at least keep that filthy habit limited to the outside?

It looked like he was fiddling with a fuse box but turned around as soon as he heard footsteps. When he saw Neji his mouth curved in that infuriating smirk again and opened his mouth to speak, making Neji see red. As he passed the door he accidentally bumped into it, making it swing shut behind him with a loud bang that echoed through the wine cellar.

"Not a single word from you!" Neji almost shouted when he stopped before the slightly taller man, thrusting an accusing finger in his face while glaring murder. "I'm tired of your excuses! I'm tired of my boss breathing down my neck about that fucking marble and I'm fucking tired of you dallying around instead of doing your job! I know that you're just too lazy to phone the fucking Customs office and tell them to hurry the fuck up! Now, tell me that you'll see to that the god damned marble will be released in the next ten minutes, before I will be arrested for the act of murder in a very near future!"

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows, slowly exhaling smoke in Neji's face and then pointed at the door.

"Actually I just wanted to tell you to mind the door. The lock's jammed, that's why I left it wide open." The brunette almost laughed when the Hyüga gaped like a fish, opening and closing his mouth while trying to find words.

"What?" he eventually croaked out, swiveling around to stare at the closed door accusingly, as if it had ulterior motives with not functioning properly.

"I said the lock's-"

"I heard you the first time!" Neji snapped, giving Shikamaru a withering glare. Just like all the other times Shikamaru didn't even bat an eyelash, and instead just leaned back against the wall, slowly taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Might as well make ourselves comfortable then", he drawled, looking all for the world like a man too contented with the situation.

"Open the door immediately, Nara. I have work to do and I can't loiter down here with you for God knows how long." Neji's stern voice didn't betray the turmoil inside of him, the close proximity with the other wreaking havoc with his already geared up hormones. It didn't help that Shikamaru's pants rode low on his narrow hips and the black tank top accentuated the lean torso.

Together with the tool belt slightly slipping down over one hip, the all over effect was devastatingly sexy, too sexy for Neji to handle right now.

Shikamaru heaved a weary sigh and dropped the cigarette, crushing it under his boot and slipped his hands in his pockets. The suggestive, reclining pose didn't escape Neji and a sense of panic slowly crept over him. He had to get out fast! If not, who knew what he'd do to the sexy brunette?

"You're troublesome Hyüga, I'm starting to believe you're hearing-impaired", he almost droned, the intensity in his eyes belying the tired timbre. Neji snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the way his penis reacted when Shikamaru shrugged, the gesture so pure him it was ridiculous. His own response to it was ridiculous too, making him feel all the more pathetic as he was turned on by it. Damn… it had been far too long since the last time he had sex.

"What gave you that idea?" he asked instead, masking the uneasiness from being in this situation as good as he could.

"You're always making me repeat myself. It's a damn drag and frankly it's starting to grow old. I told you that the lock's jammed, which means I can't open it for you. It can only be opened from the other side."

"Aren't you a contractor? You have tools to deal with jammed doors, don't you?" Shikamaru spread his arms, showing off the corded muscles in his arms and shoulders, the tanned skin practically screaming for Neji to touch.

"Does it look like I have any tools on me?" No, it did indeed not look like it, Neji silently agreed.

"Hmph. Do you only wear that belt for show? What kind of construction worker are you really?" Shikamaru had the gall to smile; the same chuckle that gave Neji goosebumps and believed didn't belong outside the bedroom escaping his throat.

"The boss. I just came down here to fix a busted fuse and switch a cable or two; I wasn't really prepared to break down a door while I was at it." Feeling outwitted, Neji quickly changed the topic.

"Are you really authorized to fiddle with stuff like that? Don't you need a certified electrician to do that kind of work?" Shikamaru smiled again, stretching lazily and yawned.

"Normally yes. I wouldn't recommend someone like you to do it but… Since I have an IQ of over 160 I'm pretty confident that I can. And I also happen to actually _have_ a certificate in electricity." Well that shut him up. Neji scowled and turned his back on the brunette, surveying the dimly lit cellar.

"Whatever." Same chuckle floated around the air, raising Neji's hackles as desire hit. He really hated the fact that he couldn't seem to regain even a sliver of control over his body whenever near the other. Frankly it irritated the hell out of him.

"Such hostility. I'm beginning to think that you don't like me at all, Hyüga." That certainly caught Neji's attention, and he snapped his head to look at the other, chills running down his spine in fear of his lust being discovered.

"Wha-what gave you the impression that I ever did like you to begin with?" For all his intelligence, Neji never saw the trap so plainly laid out for him. Or maybe he just ignored it. Shikamaru, however, didn't waste an opportunity when given. He straightened from the wall and causally strolled towards Neji, making the other back up against a set of shelves filled with aged wine behind him.

He thought Shikamaru would stop a few paces away, but was proven wrong when the other boldly invaded his personal space, trapping him against the shelves. Slowly, as to test what reaction he would get, Shikamaru withdrew his hands from his pockets and calmly placed them on the shelf behind Neji's head. He leaned in, brown eyes locked with white and then… he stopped with his lips mere inches from Neji's.

"Are you trying to be more difficult than you already are, or are you just playing coy?" Neji, who already was stiff as a pole due to the closeness, went rigid at those words. He tried to hide the hitch in his breathing when Shikamaru's breaths ghosted against his lips, filling him with aching need to close the last inches and kiss him.

"I…" He was forced to stop talking and wet his lips as they became dry, smoldering, brown eyes drifting down to focus on the tip of his tongue gliding over the pink, succulent flesh. "I have no idea what you're talking about", Neji managed to get out, hoping that his voice didn't come out as breathless and hoarse as he thought it did.

"Really? And the fact that you've been flirting with me every chance you got this past week then? Or was it just wishful thinking on my part?" He really needed to focus on the conversation instead of the images fluttering through his mind.

He needed to stay in control. He sucked in air in his lungs when Shikamaru lowered his face to his neck, giving the soft, pale skin a small nip that made his knees buck. Fuck it all! This wasn't happening it was just an illusion, a mirage created in his mind that he soon would wake up from.

_Keep calm, Neji… remain in control._

"You tell me…" Neji's whisper was hoarse, he couldn't keep his eyes open when Shikamaru pressed his lips against the spot under his ear, feeling the pulse beat wildly against his lips.

_Cool your head… Remember how much you love to be in control!_

"Hn… I think I'll take a look instead." Those words held no meaning to the Hyüga until the lips he'd been craving for a week pressed against his, a tongue gently mapping the seam of his lips as it sought entry.

_Screw control…_

With a moan that reverberated through his whole being, Neji tossed control out the window and let desire in. It exploded in his veins, letting loose an eruption of heat as he met the questing tongue with his own. He gave as well as he got, turning the calm kiss into a impassioned, sloppy make-out session that left them both breathless. They broke apart for a moment, sucking air into straining lungs, before lunging at each other, pressing hot, open mouthed kisses at every, available patch of skin.

Neji yanked at Shikamaru's top as the skin on his neck was nipped and sucked, dexterous fingers deftly working on the buttons in Neji's shirt. The Hyüga dimly wondered if it had been Faith that made him take off his jacket and tie earlier, but that train of thought was lost in a rush of pleasurable chills crackling over his torso when warm, calloused fingertips connected with his skin.

He moaned again and attacked Shikamaru's shoulder, licking the elegant curves of his collarbone with the gusto of a starved man. The brunette was forced to tear his mouth from Neji's now marked neck when the tank was yanked up over his head, Shikamaru simultaneously guiding Neji's shirt off his upper body. It caught at his elbows, creating a very alluring image for the brunette to feast upon.

They took a breather to stare into each other's eyes, panting as they drank the other in before going at it again with quickly, rising desire. Tension coiled in Neji's stomach as Shikamaru explored his upper body, fingers fanning out over toned pectorals to gently tug at stiff nipples. Neji whimpered wantonly, his hands roaming over the expanse of olive hued skin, reveling in the softness and the straining muscles underneath.

It didn't take long before they attacked each other's flies and zippers, feverishly longing to feel the hardness they both sported sooner rather than later. Groans bounced of the cellar walls as their hands closed around the other's throbbing cock, fingers greedily hugging the firm erections in gentle yet firm grasps.

It all happened as in a mist, making it hard for Neji to even think about how much he wanted Shikamaru's magnificent cock buried to the hilt inside of him. They moved as one, jerking each other with a ferocity burning in their veins neither had experience before. Soon enough Neji's slacks pooled around his feet together with his underwear, leaving him exposed for burning, brown eyes to wallow in. He stepped out of the fallen garments, losing the shoes and socks in the process.

Before Neji even knew what was going on he had Shikamaru pressed against him, hands grabbing his ass in a firm grip as they massaged the pale globes. The hot lips returned to his neck and mouth, making him pant and keen with unabashed lust displayed openly on his face and in his voice. Neji had never been very vocal during sex, but now he couldn't shut up even if his life had depended on it. When long fingers brushed over his entrance he let out an actual shout, pressing back at the questing digits, as to make it even more clear just what he wanted.

Shikamaru didn't let him down. He seemed to read Neji like an open book, playing him like a virtuoso would with an instrument. A curious finger circled Neji's puckered hole, wriggling inside gently while Shikamaru devoured the Hyüga's mouth.

It didn't take long before two fingers smoothly thrust in and out of him, stretching the tight hole with scissoring movements and every once in a while brushing against Neji's prostate, leaving him reeling as equilibrium escaped him.

Neji had no idea from where the other got the lube, but didn't complain as a third finger joined the previous two. It made him wince a little in pain but it soon drowned in the mind numbing pleasure, that came from the mere thought of just who he was doing this with.

Suddenly the fingers withdrew and Shikamaru straightened with a grunt, his hands pushing his pants down to let his erection spring free. Neji was tempted to check for drool as he took the sight of Shikamaru, disheveled and hot form in.

Gentle hands took a hold on Neji's hips, smoothly turning him around so he could place his hands on the same shelf Shikamaru had been holding. It all mended together into a blur after that. Calloused hands caressing his sides and chest, long fingers stroking his pulsating cock, brief pain as he was breached by Shikamaru's own, throbbing length…

Neji could only recall it more detailed afterwards, too into the abyss of pleasure to form even one, single coherent thought while the brunette behind him started moving at a slow pace. Shikamaru fucked like he lived; lazy and languidly while taking his time to satisfy Neji's every need and craving very thoroughly.

"I may be a lazy bastard that thinks most aspects of life are more or less troublesome, Hyüga. But believe me when I say that this… is the least troublesome thing I've ever done." The last line was accentuated by a particular hard thrust, the rolling of Shikamaru's hips ground his groin against Neji's buttocks, leaving him writhing and moaning for more.

It wasn't a fuck where dirty words goaded the other's desire, neither was it as hurried as the start had been. Shikamaru thrust into the tight hole with a single-minded determination to please Neji on every level, warm hands roaming over sweat slicked skin and tangling in long, dark locks with adoration and something akin to worship.

It left Neji's mind spinning, making it hard for his head to keep up with his body as bolts of electricity played tag up and down his spine.

The burning inferno in his veins had died down, smoldering desire coiling in his loins and lower abdomen ready to snap as soon as Shikamaru upped his pace. Skin smacking against skin echoed around them, undulating bodies grinding against the other in a dance of lust as old as time itself.

It could've been hours or minutes, Neji had no idea, but soon enough they reached the final peak. Neji teetered on the edge, wanting so desperately to fall over it, but wished to remain there at the same time, to hang between release and pleasure so sweet he could've gone on forever.

But alas, so was not the case. Neji came with a hoarse moan, thick ribbons of seed splattering the shelves in front of him when Shikamaru's blunt cockhead pushed against his prostate one too many times. The tight, velvety walls surrounding Shikamaru's cock clamped down, almost stopping his movements completely and sent the brunette over the edge too.

The force of his orgasm slammed into him with the same impact as being hit by a sledgehammer, a low groan muffled as he pressed his head against Neji's neck, burying his face in the expanse of long, silky hair spilling down over Neji's back.

When they finally cooled down, as sated desire slowly dissipated, Neji became aware of two things.

One: He was convinced that their meeting had indeed been fated and

Two: That was the best sex he'd ever had.

It scared him to feel that way, to be quite convinced that he could search for decades and still never find anything like the things he felt with Shikamaru again. Well… nothing much to do then. He slowly turned his head when Shikamaru straightened, still connected as his cock slowly softened inside of the other brunette.

Their eyes met, the silent message traversed between brown and white orbs more loud than their voices could ever hope to be.

"So… how about I take you out to dinner?" Shikamaru snorted softly and bent down again to press a soft kiss between Neji's shoulder blades, smirking against the skin.

"You're likely to be more troublesome than not, Hyüga, but all right. As long as it isn't anywhere noisy I'll let you take me out for dinner."

Neji smiled in response, a true smile that hadn't graced his lips for quite some time. Maybe there was some truth in the rumors about Casablanca Mansion after all, because he couldn't bring himself not to think about meeting Shikamaru as anything less than a blessing…

TBC...

_Teaser: Iruka tried not to blush when a jolt of warmth rushed through him at the contact, and he reached up with his unoccupied hand to rub self-consciously over the scar crossing the bridge of his nose._

_"I'm Hatake Kakashi, the caretaker. Welcome to Casablanca Mansion."_

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><p><strong>AN: **Geez... I'm spitting chapters to left and right here... Please leave a comment ^^


	3. Chapter 2

**Warnings:** More heavy smut... and much bad language ^^

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><p><strong>Tales of Casablanca Mansion<strong>

**Tale Two**

_The Teacher and the Caretaker_

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><p><em>Great. Just freaking great.<em>

Iruka growled in annoyance at the letter in his hand, crumpling the paper into a small ball when he clenched his hands in anger. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Stomping into the small kitchen he didn't even reflect over the way he automatically set a pot of water on the stove, going through the motions to make tea whenever he was upset without even thinking about it.

He flung the balled up letter on the table along with the morning paper, cursing silently all the while. Thoughts whirled in his head, spinning around and were starting to form into a nagging headache while they were at it.

How the hell was he supposed to find a new place to live in with only two weeks' notice? He glared at the letter as he leaned back against the kitchen counter, seething. How dare that fucking landlord of his do this to him? He'd paid the rent yesterday; the old bastard could've said something then! Something like:

_"I'm sorry Umino-san but you're going to have to move within two weeks. Why? Because I'm going to raise the rent with almost fifty percent and I know that you can't afford it with your salary, that's why."_

"Cheap old bat", Iruka muttered and turned to the stove when the water started to boil. He made some tea and then slumped down at the small table, heaving a tired sigh as he stared down into his mug. The imagined conversation with his landlord was right though… There was no way in hell Iruka could afford his small but modern condo with his current salary, just like it was no way in hell he would ever consider looking for another job.

He loved working as a kindergarten teacher, loved the little brats despite the fact that they drove him mad and the crappy pay. Iruka was a simple man, he didn't care about money as long as he had enough to pay his bills and put food on his table. With that knowledge about himself Iruka now was left with two options: Get another job or move.

"Moving it is", the teacher sighed again, taking a sip of tea and then reached up to tug the tie keeping his long hair in a tail loose, brown strands falling around his shoulders in mussed tangles. He raked his unoccupied hand through the messy tresses, sighing for the third time as he reached for the folded newspaper in front of him.

Iruka was the kind of person that once determined to do something he did it without looking back. And seeing as he had decided to move, however reluctant, he didn't waste any time mulling or brooding over it. He needed a new place to stay though it didn't sit well with him. He really liked his current home. It only took him five minutes to walk to the school from here, his son, Naruto, lived nearby and he knew all of his neighbors.

Iruka couldn't really understand why the nice old man that owned the old, charming building had decided to up the rent that much either. Iruka could've felt more understanding if it had been maybe five or even ten percent, but thirty-five?

Shaking off the anger that began to rise again with that train of thought, Iruka spread out the paper, leafing through the pages until he came to the ad section. Surely there had to be someone who was willing to take on a new tenant with short notice, right? He scanned the pages, his brown eyes darting from ad to ad in search for the right one, mumbling to himself all the while.

"Not big enough… not close enough… that's no good either… too small… too big… too expensive… too – wait what?"

His eyes caught a small, nondescript ad, modest in its simplicity at the very bottom of the last page.

_Rooms for hire._

_Three rooms with shared communal areas, in a calm and peaceful neighborhood. For further information please contact the caretaker of Casablanca Mansion._

Iruka's interest was stirred. Three rooms at Casablanca Mansion? Iruka had, of course, heard the rumors about the mansion but never really believed in them. He wasn't much for supernatural phenomena, as he was a man with his feet firmly planted on the ground. He believed in things he could see, hear or touch end of story. The brunette scoffed as he reached for the cordless phone on the windowsill behind him, dialing the number advised in the ad.

_Well, rumors or not… as long as the rent's decent I'm out of here._

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><p>Casablanca Mansion was nothing like Iruka had ever imagined it would be. Firstly, it was in far better condition, secondly it was a beautiful building; it even had a small tower! And thirdly it had a kind of… indistinct atmosphere, not cold or menacing by all means just… indescribable. He'd gaped at the columned portico, admired the leaded windows and snickered at the gargoyles perched at the edges of the roof.<p>

But the true beauty awaited him when he stepped inside the polished wooden door. He'd been standing in the lobby – because it couldn't be described as anything else – gaping at the marvelous ceiling, the curved staircase with the carved banisters and the sheer expanse of shining, white marble floor for a about ten minutes already.

It was fantastic to be honest, and he could hardly believe that it was going to be his home from now on. After speaking with the caretaker, a Mr. Hatake, two weeks ago and finding out that the rent was way lower than his previous home it didn't take Iruka more than fifteen minutes to take the decision. He didn't care that he hadn't a clue of what it looked like or how big it was.

It was three, furnished rooms for him while he would have to share the bathrooms and other areas with the other tenants. Not that he minded, though, he was used to sharing. First from growing up in an orphanage, then he moved into a dorm at college and lastly he'd lived with his son the last ten years since he graduated from college.

Something in his periphery vision caught Iruka's attention, pulling him out of his thoughts, and he turned his head towards the top of the stairs. He didn't think too deeply of what he glimpsed at first, only to do a double take a second later. Iruka blinked and almost rubbed his eyes when he thought he saw… No, that couldn't be right. He did not just see a naked man walk by. He must be more tired than he previously thought.

Shaking his head, the brunette smiled at his own silliness and took another look around the grand lobby. Spotting a paper posted on the wall just at the end of the stairs, he walked over to take a look at what it could be. It was a list, but a kind of list that Iruka had never come across before.

_House rules_

_1: Don't disturb the other tenants (if it's not important don't knock on my door.)_

_2: Respect each other's' privacy (especially mine.)_

_3: Keep your shit to yourselves (you don't see mine lying around here, do you?)_

_4: Clean up after yourselves (I'm the caretaker, not your mom.)_

_5: If you use the last of the toilet paper you replace it immediately (And I mean immediately!)_

_6: If a light bulb breaks change it yourselves (you're at least capable of that right?)_

_And lastly, don't bug me unless: Something's burning, a disaster is about to happen or if there's a pipe broken._

_Thank you for your cooperation._

The list was signed with a smiling scarecrow and Iruka's jaw dropped the more he read.

"…the hell? What kind of list is this?"

"A rather specific to-the-point one I believe", a voice behind him chimed in, causing the brunette to yelp in surprise and turn around, his startled brown gaze colliding with a pair of mismatched, grey and red eyes.

"Hello", the man smiled. Or Iruka thought he did as he couldn't see more than the upper half of the face, only the eyes that curved happily. The rest was covered by black fabric, the snug fitting polo shirt pulled up to cover the man's face all the way over his nose.

He was tall and lanky, towering over Iruka and the smaller man couldn't help but wonder over the crown of messy, and seemingly gravity defying, silver hair, on the top of the man's head. The bangs where slightly long and fell in his face, almost hiding the red eye from sight.

"H-hello", he stuttered and took a surprised step back, the man stood way too close for comfort. While Iruka didn't mind people being close in general, he didn't like it when his personal space was so unashamedly invaded by a total stranger.

"You're the new tenant right?" the man asked and arched his right eyebrow, standing there slightly slouched with his hands causally in his pockets. Remembering his manners, Iruka blushed and quickly dropped the bag in his right hand, thrusting it out towards the other.

"I'm so sorry for my rudeness. I'm Umino Iruka, the tenant of room four." The man slowly let his eyes wander over him, making him aware of the old, ratty jeans he wore and the too tight t-shirt he'd pulled on earlier that morning when he'd rolled out of bed. While the look wasn't intrusive in the least, Iruka still couldn't shake the feeling of being felt up by it. He shivered a little when the man's eyes seemed to linger on his face, or more specifically his lips.

Slowly, the man withdrew his own right hand and took Iruka's in a firm grip. The hand was large and warm, swallowing his own as long, elegant fingers wrapped themselves around his in an almost intimate manner. Iruka tried not to blush when a jolt of warmth rushed through him at the contact, and he reached up with his unoccupied hand to rub self-consciously over the scar crossing the bridge of his nose.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi, the caretaker. Welcome to Casablanca Mansion."

Oh._ Oh!_ So this was the man he'd talked to over the phone with two weeks earlier. Iruka couldn't say that he would've ever connected the deep, faceless voice with the man in front of him. Now that he was faced with both a face – well sort of - and a body to that voice… To his dismay he felt a small spark igniting deep inside of him, instantly attracted to the man despite the lack of facial features aside from that strange, but still compelling, gaze. Now that he looked closer Iruka could see that the red eye was bisected by a narrow scar. Perhaps it was the result of an accident then? Kakashi cleared his throat when the silence stretched out; reminding Iruka of his manners again and making him blush even more, berating himself for staring in such a blatant way.

"Er… thanks. Um… this might sound strange but… there was just a naked person up there?" It came out like a question, and Kakashi smiled when Iruka pointed at the top of the stairs, seeing the attempt to avert attention from him for what it was.

"That's Itachi, the owner. Don't mind him; he just likes to walk around in the nude."

Iruka gave the other man an incredulous look, clearly doubting his mental health when the silver-haired man didn't seem to be even slightly disturbed or embarrassed by that fact.

"… so does he do that often?"

"What? Wanders around naked?"

"Um… well yes."

"Sure, it happens all the time."

"Okay then." Kakashi chuckled when Iruka blushed harder, and reached up to put his hand on the smaller man's shoulder, squeezing the firm muscle gently.

"It's not a common thing to see him naked outside of his rooms though, so you don't have to worry about that. Usually he limits himself to the balcony." That sounded even worse! Iruka couldn't help but wonder of what kind of people lived here. Kakashi smiled when he caught the brunette's distraught expression, but changed the subject to spare the poor man from even more embarrassment.

"Would you like a tour of the communal areas before I show you to your room?" he asked politely, though to Iruka it came out sounding incredibly bored. He shot a glance at the taller man, wondering about the hand still resting on his shoulder. He didn't acknowledge that the appendage seemed to burn his skin through the fabric, sending small tendrils of heat through him.

"Um… sure", Iruka retorted, giving a small sigh of relief when Kakashi's hand dropped and went to the back of his pants. First Iruka though that the man was about to grope his own ass, but then the hand reappeared with a book in its grasp. Iruka frowned when he saw that it was a small, orange paperback and… wait a minute. Wasn't that…?

"Isn't that…er…?" He couldn't finish the sentence, not when Kakashi raised an eyebrow and gave him a sardonic look.

"It's Icha Icha, yes." Iruka blushed and averted his eyes, resisting the urge to rub the scar over his nose again.

"That's like… uh a p-porno book or something, right?" The same warm chuckle reached his ears again, sounding oddly patronizing.

"It's a piece of literature that portrays raunchy, erotic adventures of various men and women with a touch of pell-mell satiric humor."

"Porn", Iruka deadpanned, making Kakashi laugh this time as he flipped the book open.

"Porn", the caretaker confirmed. "Now then, to your right you have the dining area, kitchen and laundry room. To your left you have the living room and the library. Your rooms are up the stairs, down the hall on your right. There are five other set of rooms up there, number six is Itachi's and the rest is rented out. You make your own food and clean up after yourself.

There are three refrigerators, label your food, two washing machines, just write your name on the list on the door to the laundry room and it's yours to use as you please.

You have two bathrooms down here on the bottom floor and three upstairs, all are shared spaces so I suggest that you keep your things to yourself and don't scatter them all over the place. I am only in charge of maintenance, not to look after you or your fellow tenants. I don't cook, I don't clean and I don't like to be pestered with stupid questions. Now, do you have any?"

Iruka's jaw dropped, gaping at the older man as he drawled on with his monologue. Was he serious? Was this a tour of the house? What the hell! Realizing that Kakashi had stopped talking and was glancing at him over the edge of his book, Iruka blinked at him, clearly looking as confused as he felt.

"Do I have any what?"

"Any questions?" How was he even supposed to dare ask the man something when he'd just stated he didn't want people to do that?

"Um… no. Thank you", Iruka added as an afterthought, trying to be polite and keep his temper down, when Kakashi's blunt ways managed to raise his hackles.

"All right then, make yourself at home and I'll see you around." With that he sauntered off into the living room, his face buried in his book as he maneuvered around furniture and left a stunned Iruka behind.

_What a weirdo… I hope the other people living here aren't as strange._

Had Iruka only known what lay in wait for him, he would've burnt the paper with the ad in it as soon as it hit his table two weeks ago...

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><p>It didn't take Iruka more than a week to realize that the other tenants, including the owner himself, were a crazy bunch that had, unfortunately, gathered in the same place.<p>

He'd stumbled over the naked owner himself after merely two hours, after he'd located his rooms and put his things away. Naruto would come with the rest of his clothes and things he wanted to keep later that week. The rest of Iruka's furniture had been stored and some went to Naruto's own home, he needed it more than his father did anyway.

Admiring the view from the balcony doors, Iruka had forgotten what Kakashi said about Itachi frequently walking around undressed out on the stone veranda. He'd walked out there with the intent of getting a better look at the back yard, only to stop dead in his tracks with the sight greeting him: A tall, slender and stunningly good looking, dark haired man, standing in all his naked glory before a half-finished canvas.

A heavy blush had painted Iruka's cheeks as he couldn't do anything but stand and gape at the man. He was flabbergasted, unable to utter a single word when the man had turned his head and regarded him with an amused smirk curving his beautiful mouth. He'd been given a regal nod, a brief introduction _"You are the new tenant I see. I'm Uchiha Itachi, the owner."_ and then the man had utterly ignored Iruka, his state of undress, the world in general, and went back to his painting. Iruka had managed to squeak out a strained _"Nice to meet you."_ before he fled back to the safety of his rooms.

When he'd gone down later to make himself something to eat, he'd met Haku and Zabuza, tenants of room three. At first he thought the small, delicate and beautiful Haku was a girl and the bulky and vicious looking Zabuza her father, until Haku gave the tall, intimidating man a kiss. Turned out Haku was a man, albeit short and delicate, and that they were in a relationship. It didn't disturb Iruka the slightest, he was bi himself, but then he spotted the collar around Zabuza's neck.

After some subtle inquiring, Haku happily told Iruka all about their D/s relationship. Iruka would've never pegged the small, gentle man for a Dom or even touched the thought of Zabuza being a submissive, but then again, he wasn't one to be judgmental. He'd had a very nice meal with the two of them, learning to know them during the hour he spent in their company.

Haku owned a floral shop a couple of blocks away and Zabuza was a construction worker for the company that had been hired to remodel Casablanca Mansion.

Iruka also discovered that Zabuza was far nicer than his appearance let on, being courteous, albeit a little quiet and not so talkative. And somehow, the subject of Kakashi came up during their dinner, not that Iruka brought him up. It was all Haku's doing.

_"You know, it is strange Umino-san. Nobody actually sees him doing anything around here but the place is still in top condition."_

_"That's because I was a ninja in my former life. And because I'm awesome like that." They all jumped when the caretaker suddenly spoke up from behind them._

_"Oh, we didn't see you there Hatake-san." Haku's laughter was as lovely as his mellow voice, making Iruka feel more relaxed. He'd tensed up as soon as he'd seen Kakashi._

_"I told you Haku, to call me Kakashi", the silver haired man said behind his book, ignoring Zabuza's growl of annoyance._

Nothing more significant had been said after that and Iruka soon took his leave, trying not to show the blush on his cheeks as he glanced at the caretaker when he passed by.

Then he ran into room one's tenant later that evening, on his way to one of the bathrooms. He had never been more freaked out in his life! Orochimaru had managed to scare the crap out of him just by greeting him.

_"Well hello there, don't you look just… yummy…?"_

_"E-excuse me?" The tall, almost sickly pale man smiled unpleasantly as he flipped his long, greasy, black hair back over his shoulders. His strange yellow eyes raked down over the smaller man in a manner that left Iruka highly unsettled._

_"You must be new here. I am Orochimaru and I live in room one." The hoarse, almost hissing tremor sent shivers of disgust down Iruka's spine, and he shifted on his feet, fidgeting nervously when the older man loomed over him. He had to suppress the urge to press his back against the wall, telling himself he was feeling ridiculous when the need to protect his ass grew out of proportion._

_"N-nice to meet you, I'm Umino Iruka." Well, he could at least be polite right?_

_Iruka didn't want to feel that way right off the bat, but he couldn't help it. Orochimaru was apparently a scientist working at the nearby university and also seemed to have a slight obsession with the owner, as he mentioned Itachi's name six times in the span of ten minutes._

_Iruka hadn't had a chance in hell to help but shiver when the tall, pale man licked his lips with an obscenely long tongue every time he talked about their landlord, or how slimy his voice sounded. Iruka knew he never had or would, encounter a more unpleasant man. How did Itachi even think about being naked with him around? Given the way Orochimaru sounded when speaking of a man so much younger than himself, Iruka wouldn't have been surprised if the scientist frequently lurked around at playgrounds with a candy bag in his hands; hoping to lure a kid or two to him, so he could molest them._

After he'd given a quick excuse to the man, silently vowing to keep a close eye on the kids at his school; he bolted for his room, abandoning the shower in favor of entertaining the thought of never setting a foot outside the door again.

Two days later with no meeting with the rest of the people living there, Iruka had the misfortune to come across room five's tenant while Naruto brought the rest of his stuff. The brunette had never thought he'd ever meet any other person that could beat his son's rudeness and foul mouth. He was proved wrong five seconds after meeting Hidan. Despite his handsome appearance the man was the priest in a cult – Jashin – and wouldn't he or Naruto be interested in joining?

No, they were not and thanks to that they were submitted to the scolding of their life. Naruto, being the foul-mouthed hothead he was, launched himself into a shouting match with Hidan, curses polluting the air while they stood nose to nose with each other. Iruka had tried his best to placate them, to no avail. While the two idiots exhausted their vocal cords, Iruka stood back with a tired sigh, never noticing Kakashi popping up next to him.

_"You can take your Ja-Jas… arrgh! Your fucking Jasmine-sama or whatever and shove him up your ass!"_

_"You dare to call my Jashin-sama – my GOD – Jasmine? Seriously, you're even more stupid than your looks let on!"_

_"What the fucking fuck, you stupid dickwad!" Iruka cringed at Naruto's words, wondering just where he went wrong while raising the feisty blond._

_"Shut your fucking pie hole and get your fugly mug outta my face, you filthy heathen!" Ah well… it's not like his son didn't give as well as he got back._

_"Motherfucker! I'll rip off your head and shit down your neck you freaking waste of air, go and die!" Oh, so Naruto heard him that time when he'd yelled at Ebisu, that molesting freak, all those years ago. Well, there he had his answer as to where Naruto had picked all those lines up. He almost blushed, feeling a little guilty. He never cursed usually, unless his temper got the best of him, which unfortunately was the case most of the times._

_"So… who's the blond?" Iruka jumped and turned to Kakashi, a blush coloring his cheeks red the second he laid eyes on the caretaker._

_"Where the hell did you come from?"_

_"I was born here."_

_"Huh?"_

_"I was born here in Konoha."_

_"Er… that's not what I meant…" God dammit! How could he make Iruka feel so stupid with just one raised eyebrow and a sardonic glance?_

_"I know…" The smug tone raised Iruka's hackles without a flaw, but he quickly clamped down on his boiling temper, trying to compose himself before he lashed out at the other man._

_"That's Naruto, my son", he answered instead. Kakashi took his eyes off his book for a moment, to look between Iruka and Naruto, raising his other eyebrow too._

_"Really? I congratulate your ability to have a child at such a young age."_

_"Huh?"_

_"You must've had him when you were what… twelve or thirteen? I imagine it couldn't have been easy."_

_"He's adopted", Iruka curtly told the man, glaring at him, which was ignored when Kakashi just strolled on, still with his face in the book._

_"I see, no wonder you don't look alike", he tossed over his shoulder, once again making Iruka feel like an idiot for no reason whatsoever._

Fifteen minutes later, when the two, cursing idiots' voices were hoarse and they seemed to have run out of bad words to throw at each other, Iruka had grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his neck and dragged him up the stairs, not bothering to even try and be nice to Hidan.

And then, three days later, Iruka bumped into Deidara, literally. They'd crashed into each other when Iruka was heading upstairs from breakfast. He'd been in other thoughts when he'd heard a yelp, a series of crashes and looked up just in time to catch the blond tumbling down the steps. Thanks to Iruka's firm grip on the banister they managed to avoid falling down the rest of the stairs, wobbling precariously on the edge of the step Iruka had been standing on.

_"Thanks man, you really spared me a broken neck, yeah." The blond's words came out muffled, his face pressed against Iruka's shoulder. The brunette managed to right them both, taking a cautious step back when the other man seemed to have regained his balance._

_"You're welcome." Blue eyes, a shade paler than Naruto's vibrant, azure color peaked out from under long, blond bangs; the rest of the hair pulled into a tight pony tail high on his head. The pale strands fell down over the blond's back, as he flicked them back over a shoulder._

_Iruka couldn't help but notice the strange outfit at the same time, now that he could see the blond better. What in the world was he wearing? It seemed like a crossbreed between a dress and shirt, but it came out looking more like a curtain haphazardly draped over him, almost like a toga._

_Wait a minute… that actually did look a lot like the purple drape that used to hang-_

_"So you're the new guy Hidan told me about?" Iruka snapped back to reality, the usual blush when caught in a strange situation coloring his cheeks._

_"Um, yeah. I'm Umino Iruka and I live in room four." He offered his hand, which was ignored when the other gave him a once over._

_"Huh… I'm Deidara, room two. How would you like to model for me, yeah?"_

_"Uh…" How could he possibly answer that in a way that didn't sound too… well dumb he guessed? He worried for nothing though, Deidara rambled on without waiting for a reply._

_"I'm an artist and I need a new model. I've asked Itachi – he's an old buddy of mine – but he refused, fucking evil asshole that he is, yeah."_

_"Uh…" Ah… another great day for Umino Iruka and his eloquent replies._

_"It's just a nude study, really, and I've been looking for a body like yours, you're perfect!" Iruka had to quench the need to cover his groin when Deidara's eyes raked down over his form, the blush burning hotly on his cheeks._

_"I'm… flattered, really, and thanks. But no thanks." The blond's face fell, making Iruka feel guilty for his denial however unreasonable that may have been._

_"No, yeah?" Brown eyes widened in outrage. Hadn't the man heard him the first time?"_

_"Um, no no."_

_"I heard you. No, yeah!"_

_"No no!" The look he received for the heated shout said that Deidara clearly questioned his sanity._

_"I just thought I should ask no need to get so worked up, yeah!" Deidara turned his back on Iruka and stalked back up the stairs, muttering under his breath about weird, sexy brunettes and something else Iruka didn't catch._

_"The hell…?"_

Iruka kept a rather low profile after that, keeping to himself most of the time. He'd told Naruto all about it, and after the blond had stopped laughing, wheezing from lack of air, he'd dubbed the house as The Mansion of Freaks. Iruka had not been amused. He didn't want to live in a place full of people with questionable character, he was a simple man damn it! All he wanted was some peace and quiet.

Or well… he could accept all the other freaks-er people in the Mansion, as long as he was spared the presence of Orochimaru. Seriously, that guy just scared the hell out of him each and every time they happened to cross paths.

After living with the… freak show, as Naruto so kindly put it, for three weeks, Iruka had begrudgingly started to get a real feel of their personalities, save for one exception. The caretaker. He just couldn't figure Hatake Kakashi out.

Iruka was fairly certain that the man was attractive, despite the lack of facial features and kind too. The brunette surmised that Kakashi wanted to appear lazy, aloof and somewhat perverted – though he didn't doubt the last part to be false at all – but it all had a fabricated feeling to it.

What Haku had said was true, you never saw the man doing anything, but the house was still kept in impeccable condition. The woodwork shone from frequent polishing, the marble details were never dusty, the windows sparkled clean and he could see his own reflection in the marble and wooden floors. Wherever he looked, he could never find any flaws despite that Kakashi were only ever seen lounging about with Icha Icha in his hands.

Iruka was suspecting, bordering on being convinced, that it was just a facade. The true man behind the concealing turtleneck and book remained unseen. It frustrated Iruka, not because he begrudged the man his secrets, whatever they may have been, but because he had a feeling that the man underneath the carefree exterior was far more serious and enigmatic. He wanted to get to know that man, not the perverted, smart-assed caretaker he was constantly harassed by.

It wasn't that much really, but cryptic remarks and replies were starting to become an everyday thing, much like the teasing and lingering looks he received. It didn't help that for every time Iruka saw the man, he always seemed to be even hotter than he remembered.

The increasing attraction he felt for the man was slowly, but surely, driving him to the brink of insanity. He couldn't do anything about it, however, not when he didn't have a single clue to what Kakashi felt. Was he interested? Was he even gay, or at least bi like Iruka himself?

Iruka found the answer to that question one early Sunday morning.

It so happened that Iruka enjoyed jogging in the mornings. It kept his body in shape, helped him to relax and allowed his thoughts to wander, the steady thump of feet against concrete oddly soothing to his mind. That morning became an exception. He woke up at exactly six am, unable to go back to sleep and decided to forgo his usual Sunday routine – sleep in and laze around in bed - in favor of running.

He dressed in an old t-shirt that he couldn't find in himself to throw away. A little too tight and color slightly faded from many washes, he slipped the red shirt over his head. He tied his hair up in its usual tail and tied on his running shoes. Grabbing his iPod from the dresser next to the door, he silently slipped outside, enjoying the peace and quiet in the mansion, as the others were still asleep.

He drew a deep breath once outside the front door, smiling a little and giving a content sigh before stretching, and then he took off.

The morning was beautiful, the air crisp and fresh in his lungs as he ran, AC/DC's_ Stiff upper lip_ playing in his ears. Long legs pumping in time with his arms, Iruka quickly fell into a Zen-like state of mind, pushing all thoughts in the back of his mind, content with just concentrating on keeping his breathing even.

An hour later he was almost back at the mansion, his breath coming out in pants and sweat coating his body. Once at the house, Iruka decided to go in through the back door, figuring that he could eat breakfast before showering. His run had slowed down to a leisure walk, to cool his muscles down. He rounded the corner of the house and couldn't help but admire the large back yard, and stopped under one of the large oaks.

Supporting himself against the sturdy trunk, he began to stretch again, not wanting to become stiff after the workout. When he was done with that, he lowered his hands and grabbed the hem of his sweat soaked shirt, pulling it over his head. He gave a sigh of relief as a cool breeze wafted over his torso. His ponytail was slightly askew, so he simply pulled the tie off, brown hair spilling down in messy strands around his slightly flushed face.

The branch crashing down from out of nowhere barely missed him, hitting the ground two inches from his right foot. Yelping with fright, the brunette quickly backed up, just in time to avoid getting Kakashi in his head. The caretaker landed with a loud "oomph!" on his back, limbs sprawled out eagle style, and a saw fell right after him, landing with a muted thud just a couple of feet away.

"Oh my god, are you all right?" Iruka cried out, dropping down beside the dazed man. His hands hovered over Kakashi's prone form, wanting to check for injuries but too afraid to touch, lest he'd make it worse.

"..." Iruka saw Kakashi's jaw move under the turtleneck, frowning as he couldn't hear the words obviously spoken.

"What?" he asked, bowing his head and leaning closer to catch the words.

"…You don't happen to see where my book landed?" Iruka jerked back, staring incredulously at the silver-haired man. Mismatched eyes, twinkling with mirth and just a little pain, met his enraged ones, and Iruka could see the smile stretching the concealing fabric. That merriment was the straw that broke the camel's back, and Iruka snapped.

"You fucking ass!" Kakashi's eyes widened at the outbreak, and winced when Iruka's palm slapped him over his chest, repeatedly.

"_Ow-ow_ – wha – _ow!_ - would you – _ow!_ – stop that! What the hell is the matter with you?" Kakashi whined and sat up with another wince, grabbing Iruka's wrist to keep the brunette from lashing out at him.

"Me? What the hell is the matter with you?" Iruka sputtered in outrage, trying to yank his wrists free. This only made Kakashi's tighten his hold, and drag the other man closer, until only a few inches remained between their noses.

"Calm down, yeah? I can't have you injuring me even more." Iruka's facial expression immediately changed from fury to concern, slowly relaxing in Kakashi's grip.

"Are you badly hurt? What the hell were you doing up there anyway?" The older man smiled, his eyes turning into two, happy crescents as he released the smaller man, leaning back a little.

"Don't worry. The only thing that's bruised is my ego. And I was trimming."

Iruka stared, just stared for about ten more seconds and then… he punched the stupid fucker in the face.

"Ow! The fuck, Iruka!" Kakashi reeled back, clutching his aching jaw, starting at the angry brunette as Iruka jerkily rose to his feet.

"Are you fucking nuts? Who the hell trims a tree without a safety line? You could've died! You almost did! What if you'd landed on your neck?" Iruka paced agitatedly in front of Kakashi, waving his aching right hand as the knuckles started to hurt. "And what the hell is your jaw made of, stone?"

Kakashi opened his mouth to answer but changed his mind, when smoldering, brown eyes glared murder at him.

"Shut up, it was a rhetorical-" He shut his mouth when he noticed the thin rivulet of blood running down the left side of Kakashi's face. Instant panic flared, ferocity replaced with frantic concern in a heartbeat. He totally missed the way Kakashi's eyes practically raped him, drinking in the sight of sweat slicked, honey toned skin, the flushed face and tussled, mahogany hair.

"Oh my fucking god! You're bleeding! Does it hurt? You're not bleeding anywhere else are you?" The caretaker blinked at the rapid change, but didn't protest when Iruka helped him up on his feet. He did, however, sputter when Iruka attacked the hem of his black polo shirt.

"Whoa hey!"

"I need to check, your back may be bleeding as well!" Iruka defended, trying his best not to notice the way soft skin or fine hair brushing his knuckles. He stilled when two large hands covered his, reluctantly raising his gaze to Kakashi's.

"Not that I'm minding the thought of you undressing me but… Iruka, take a deep breath and calm down. I'm not bleeding anywhere else, I promise." Iruka was a little unsure whether Kakashi was flirting with him or not, blushing at the thought.

"…Yeah, okay… right." Doing as suggested, Iruka breathed deep, releasing the air in a huge sigh, taking a step back from the caretaker. His gaze remained worried though, raking down over the slim form, as not believing what his eyes told him.

"Come on; let's go inside so I can patch you up." Kakashi nodded his consent and allowed the smaller man to take his hand in a firm grip, practically being dragged back to the house. Iruka's dear, old t-shirt lay disregarded and abandoned on the ground behind them.

"Sit." Iruka pointed to one of the chairs positioned around the kitchen island once inside, leaving Kakashi to fend for himself for a moment, walking to the laundry room. There he found the first-aid kit he knew was stored in a closet, returning with it under his arm. He took a deep breath to steady himself before going back to the kitchen, the panic swapped with a tight knot of nervousness in his stomach. He breathed out with a small sigh and stepped out, only to stop dead in his tracks in the doorway.

Absently touching his chin, checking for drool, Iruka couldn't do anything else than stand as rooted to the spot and stare at the beauty in front of him. Kakashi was indeed sitting at the appointed chair, just a little more undressed than Iruka left him. Pale, smooth skin, a sleek, muscular torso, toned abs – accentuated by a thin strip of silver hair traveling down and disappearing beneath denims, hanging dangerously low on narrow hips - Iruka couldn't really blame himself for staring. And then he saw the bared face and knew he was fucked.

It wasn't the most beautiful face he'd ever seen, but it was still perfect. A strong jaw – dusted with a touch of silver stubble – a long narrow, nose, thin, sculpted lips, the eyes and the arched eyebrows. It really was just so handsome and so… Kakashi, he couldn't – even at gunpoint – stop staring.

_Shit… I didn't think one could get hard just from seeing a face…_

"You know… staring doesn't really become you." Kakashi's amused voice snapped Iruka out of his reverie, a blush quickly forming; coloring his cheeks an alluring shade of pink. He chuckled a little awkwardly and reached up to rub the scar running over his nose, embarrassed of his blatant ogling.

"Sorry", he mumbled as he walked up to the other man, hoping that he wouldn't notice the sudden bulge in his shorts, keeping his eyes directed at the floor. "I was just a little… surprised. I've never seen your face before." He set the kit down on the counter next to Kakashi's elbow, trying to ignore the heat that seemed to radiate from the other man. He couldn't resist a quick glance at the toned form beside him though.

_Damn, I've always been a sucker for a great body._

"Be glad, you're one of the few who's had the privilege." Iruka just hummed noncommittally, not daring to ask why when he clearly remembered Kakashi's dislike for such things. Instead, he opened the medical kit, located a piece of absorbent cotton, a bottle of antiseptics and an adhesive bandage.

"I see", he just mumbled and took a small breath, steeling himself before turning to face the other man, stepping inside the V the older man's slightly spread legs created. Damn, he was just too attractive for Iruka to be able to keep calm, at least on the inside. Butterflies erupted and multiplied in his gut, as he met Kakashi's calm, mismatched gaze. The knot of nervousness tightened, and his hands became clammy with sweat.

In an attempt of distracting himself from the hotness, Iruka focused on the bleeding wound instead, drenching the absorbent swab in antiseptic liquid. It wasn't big or dangerous at all, thankfully, just a small, ragged cut that looked much worse than it really was.

Disregarding his shaking hands, he raised one hand to gently hold Kakashi's head still, fingers twining in soft, silver tresses with the desire to caress the well-shaped skull underneath. Lightly cleaning the torn skin, Iruka tried to ignore his raging hard-on as the other male's scent assaulted his nose. It was a mix of fresh air, leaves and cinnamon, and it wreaked complete havoc inside Iruka's body. His blood sang in his veins, throbbing hotly when Kakashi shifted in his seat, coming just a tad closer than Iruka was comfortable with at the moment.

Working in complete silence, Iruka gradually relaxed as Kakashi refrained from speaking, even if his cock kept pushing for attention in his shorts. Finally done with his task, he dressed it with the adhesive bandage with quick and efficient movements, breathing a small sigh of relief when he took a step back to survey his work.

"There, all done. I don't have a lollipop to give you for exemplary behavior, though", Iruka couldn't resist teasing, feeling a little safer. He turned to close the medical kit and dispose of the bloodied gauze, when he was caught by two, strong arms, spun around and hauled in between the space of Kakashi's spread legs. He was pressed against the caretaker's bare torso, sparks of electrified arousal racing up and down his spine as his own naked skin made contact. Kakashi leaned in, resting his chin on Iruka's trembling, right shoulder, making the brunette swallow. Suddenly his throat felt really dry and parched.

"Oh but you have", a deep voice purred sultry in his ear, "and it's a lollipop I've been craving since the day you walked inside the door." Nothing could've made him hold back the small moan that escaped him, when a large, warm hand pressed against his erection.

"T-that's the – _oh god_ – c-cheesiest line – _mmn_ – I've ever heard", Iruka stuttered when Kakashi's hand started to rub, the delicious friction threatening to fry the his brain synapses.

"Did it work?" Iruka resisted the urge to roll his eyes. As if the fact that he was tilting his hips into the hard caress wasn't proof enough.

"Shut up, and kiss me."

"Don't mind if I do."

It was good. It was more than good. It was fucking amazing! Universes collapsed and was formed out of the cheer greatness that was Kakashi's kiss, and he didn't even fucking care!

That's where Iruka's brain decided to shut down, his body taking over to run the show as Kakashi's lips wolfed him down. They melted into it, tongues quickly coming into play, mapping and exploring the other's mouth with a feverish frenzy.

Iruka relished in the feeling of Kakashi's smooth skin under his fingertips, shivers of want dancing through him when his hands slid over the dips and curves of the older man's muscled upper body. Kakashi hummed with pleasure when thumbs gently caressed his nipples, their kiss going from light and gentle to deep and devouring.

They groaned in unison when Kakashi's left arm encircled the smaller man, their erections brushing against one another as he moved the caressing hand out of the way, eliciting spears of arousal that pierced their bodies. Iruka dropped all pretenses of holding back, rocking his hips to get more pressure, more friction on his burning cock, making Kakashi growl with savage want. It spurred the younger man to slide his questing hands up over the addictive body, seeking to find purchase in silver hair when equilibrium fled.

The hand wedged between them joined its mate on Iruka's hips, impatiently tugging at the waistband of Iruka's shorts. The younger man threw his head back, breaking the kiss and moaned out loud when one of the hands closed around his straining flesh, immediately starting a slow, pumping motion that had his world reeling.

His throat was exposed to Kakashi's unoccupied mouth, hot, sucking kisses, small nips from slick lips and nicks from sharp teeth making heat coil in Iruka's gut, winding tighter by the second. A small voice of reason tried to make itself heard, though, nagging in the back of Iruka's mind until he was forced to express it.

"K-Kakashi- _ahn_ – we're in the –_ oh_ – k-kitchen – _mm_…" Kakashi paid no heed, mercilessly keeping up with his ministrations on Iruka's cock. His hand moved with a goal in mind, the other roaming over the smaller man's back, hips and ass with a possessiveness Iruka had never experienced before. As a single finger slipped down in the dip between Iruka's buttocks, the tugging on Kakashi's hair harshened, forcing him to stop for a moment to look up and meet glazed, brown eyes.

"What?" he growled, his hand never ceasing with its pumping motion. Iruka swallowed hard, his breath coming out in small pants. That hand… it was so hard to think when it moved, when it robbed him of all coherencies. But he made a heroic effort to try and get his point across to the sexy man, that was staring at him with impassioned, mismatched eyes.

"We – _oh god_ – we can't – _ah!_ – do this – _oh, oooh…_ here!"

"Why not?" Kakashi held Iruka's gaze, leaning down without breaking eye contact as a pink tongue slowly appeared from between kiss swollen lips, the tip gently flicking a hard, dusky nipple. Iruka keened low in his throat, his knees threatening to give out any minute now. He persisted none the less, trying to keep his focus on replying somewhat rational.

"B-because – _gasp_ – someone could – _ngh_ – come in." A shudder racked his frame when the digit between his ass cheeks wriggled over his entrance, making the tight ring clench and ache with the need to feel it inside.

"Hm… I'm not going to take that as a valid argument. You like it… don't you, _Iruka?_" Yes, yes he did indeed like the idea. Probably more than he should. He hadn't even known he had it in him, and he wasn't about to reveal that to Kakashi either.

"P-pervert", he whispered breathlessly when the finger dipped inside of his thirsting hole just a little, gently sliding in and out to the first joint. Even if it was dry, it didn't hurt one bit, only fueling the need to feel Kakashi inside of him as soon as possible.

"Mmm, you're right. I am a pervert, but so are you. Gasping like that, panting for more… _Iruka._" His name spoken in that deep, hoarse tone seriously messed with his mind. The brunette was afraid that his brain would melt and start leaking out through his ears.

"You want my cock, don't you, Iruka?" The finger forced itself deeper, almost but not quite, reaching the sensitive gland inside his tight ass.

"Yes", Iruka breathed in response, slowly rocking back to get the finger to go ever deeper, to feel it where he wanted it most.

"You want to go down on your knees here – _Christ, you're tight_ - taking it in your mouth, Iruka?"

"Fuck yes", he hissed when his wish was granted, the finger finally deep enough to nudge his prostate. Sparks of pleasure raced through his veins, making his dick throb and leak pre-cum like never before.

"Then do it. Kneel and take my cock in your pretty, little mouth, make it wet for you." As in trance, Iruka obeyed. He had no idea what had come over him, but that voice – promising sinful pleasure and carnal bliss – compelled him. Taking a step back, the finger slipped out of him, making him feel strangely hollow, and with a smooth motion he kicked the shorts down his legs and off, sinking to his knees when he was done.

Kakashi rose from the chair, standing tall and oh so sexy above him, his eyes burning with lust. Locking eyes with the silver-haired man, Iruka shivered as Kakashi's hands moved, the sound of a zipper being pulled down oddly loud in the quiet kitchen. Kakashi pushed his pants and boxers down over narrow hips, freeing his own, achingly hard dick, and gave a small sigh of relief as the cool air fanned over the heated flesh.

Slowly, Iruka lowered his eyes, caressing the exposed form inch by inch with his eyes, blazing brown reveling in the sight until they reached their goal. And oh my, was it ever a sight for sore eyes.

"Oh…" The sigh slipped from his lips before he could stop it, a small and delighted smile curving his kiss swollen lips. Kakashi's cock made his mouth water; just thick and long enough, a tiny pearl of pre-cum balancing on the tip… how could he not long for a taste?

Said and done – and because he was aching to savor it – Iruka leaned forward, his hands coming up to take a hold on Kakashi's hips, and then his tongue slipped out to lick at the shiny head.

Kakashi hissed with pleasure as Iruka's lips parted more, slowly taking the head inside his smooth cavern, his tongue flicking over the swollen head and sides. He teased mercilessly, his head bobbing up and down, and for each downward movement sucking more of the fleshy erection in.

Kakashi groaned above him, reaching out to steady himself against the island when a flick and twist of Iruka's tongue made his knees go weak. Iruka lavished the hot cock with a single minded determination, wanting to taste more, to lick and suck until Kakashi couldn't tell up from down.

The brunette slid one hand from its hold on Kakashi's hip, lightly scraping through the coarse locks surrounding the appendage in his mouth, slowly wrapping it about the thick base. He started a milking motion, using his hand to make up for the last two inches he couldn't fit inside.

The other slipped down to gently cradle the balls underneath, rolling them in his palm while squeezing with his fingers. The moan that the action provoked made Iruka smile around the cock lodged in his mouth, and speeding up with his ministrations he soon had Kakashi panting and cursing above him.

"Fuck –_ hah_ – that feels good. Ah… keep going - _fuck -_ suck that cock harder – _mmn_ – Iruka…"

Encouraged, Iruka did as asked; his cheeks hollowing as he started a suction that had Kakashi seeing stars. Long fingers reached down to tangle in brown strands, urging Iruka to move faster, to take more into his mouth as hips started to thrust a little.

The head of Kakashi's cock bumped against the back of his throat, and Iruka's hands flew up to press against the caretaker's hips, stopping his movements. Iruka fought the urge to gag, his eyes tearing up. The hand in his hair slid down to cradle his jaw and he looked up, gazing into Kakashi's seductive eyes.

"That's enough, turn around. I'm going to fuck you now. Fuck you so good you'll never want to fuck any other than me again."

Before that promise, Iruka's whole body felt as if on fire, heat, hunger and undulated lust twisting in his groin, his cock practically drooling by now. The world around him didn't exist anymore, not as he turned and bent forward, resting his head on his arms in front of him, not as he felt Kakashi kneel behind him and not when warm hands grasped his hips in a firm grip. The only thing in his mind was the thought of Kakashi, of the need to feel him thick, hard and pulsating inside of him.

His back arched and he groaned when he felt a blunt cockhead against his clenching entrance, a rigid length slipping up and down the clavicle a moment later. Slicking him with saliva, pre-cum and something he suspected was cooking-oil, from the bottle on the island. Iruka had no business blushing, but did so anyway.

Kakashi chuckled behind him, his hands kneading the firm globes presented so delectable for him. When he stilled Iruka braced himself, trying to relax as Kakashi spread his cheeks and the blunt head from before was back, slowly beginning to push inside.

It had been a while since Iruka last did this, but he didn't feel as much pain as he first thought he would. The head slipped inside with a hard nudge from narrow hips, making the brunette hiss from the pleasurable sting it created.

Kakashi stilled for a moment, breathing heavily through his nose when the head of his erection was swallowed by Iruka's greedy hole. A few minutes later, after adjusting to the intrusion somewhat, Iruka rocked back a little, giving Kakashi permission to move. The silver-haired man did so, making them both moan out loud as he thrust in to the hilt with one, fluid motion.

"So. Fucking. Tight… tightest hole I've ever been inside… so good, Iruka."

The brunette moaned again, blushing but secretly loving the words spoken to him. He arched his back, rocking back and forth on his hands and knees, meeting Kakashi for every forward thrust he made.

"Yes, yes, yes – _oh fuck_ – harder – _oh yes_ – fuck me harder, Kakashi", Iruka hissed, drawing a growl of approval from Kakashi at the sound of his name, moaned with that breathless tone. It didn't take long to establish a rhythm, both moving in sync with the other in a fluid dance of undulating hips, harsh pants and moans of pleasure.

Iruka tried to breathe, tried to gulp down air into his depraved lungs as Kakashi's cock brushed against his prostate again and again. He moaned, groaned and keened, matching Kakashi's animalistic growls and grunts with his own noises. It seemed to spur the older man; his momentum increasing the more Iruka voiced his pleasure.

Strong hands gripped tanned hips in a bruising grip, starting a game of push-pull that had them both reeling, the world forgotten as they immersed in a deep abyss of eroticism. The sound of wet skin slapping against wet skin echoed around them, snaring them in a web of lust where only pleasure and lust existed. But as all good things, it had to come to an end all too fast.

Kakashi was the first to go, a deep, rumbling groan tearing from his chest, his movements becoming jerky as he coated Iruka's silken walls with hot cum. The feeling of Kakashi's cock twitching and spurting inside of him had Iruka moan low in his throat. It was his fantasies come to life and proved to be too much for him to bear.

Heat welled out of him, cum splattering against the tiled floor underneath his convulsing body. Kakashi slumped over him; draping his long body over his back and making him fall to the floor, when his limbs failed to support him any longer. Their pants rang in the air, the heavy scent of sex, sweat and cum tickling their noses.

"I've never cum without touching my dick before." Iruka's mumble was muffled against the floor, his back heaving from the combined force of their copulation and Kakashi's weight on his back.

"I'm always glad to add new experiences in people's lives", Kakashi replied against a tanned neck, pressing a small kiss to the soft skin. He nuzzled the sweaty strands sticking to it, loving the feel of Iruka's smooth skin against his.

"So… since the time I stepped inside the door?" Kakashi chuckled at Iruka's query, lifting an arm sluggishly to caress the soft cheek not pressed against the floor.

"Yep. I can't believe you didn't notice." Iruka snorted and shifted against the cold tiles, indicating that he wanted to move. Kakashi complied and sat up, grinning when he surveyed Iruka's flushed and sweaty skin.

"Are you kidding me? With that turtleneck you could've as well been leering and I would've never been the wiser."

"True. Now, how does a shower sound?" Iruka winced a little as he shakily rose to his feet, blushing when he felt the liquid in his ass starting to leak out. He glared when Kakashi chuckled again, steadying himself against the island as Kakashi bent down to retrieve their clothes.

"You're not coming in there with me", he said sternly, fighting a smile when Kakashi pouted.

"And here I was thinking I could give you a massage… loosen those sore muscles up."

A moment of silence passed.

"Fine. But no perversions, I think I've had enough of that for one day."

Kakashi grinned while they dressed, cleaned up and headed for one of the bathrooms on the bottom floor. Iruka blushed and behaved bashful all the time, appalled by his own abandon of all decency. He informed Kakashi that there would be no more fornication in the kitchen again – ever - but the caretaker only met this with small smirk.

Seemed like the stern teacher was back in action. He didn't doubt that he could make Iruka try some other places out, starting with the shower, just to show him just how big of a pervert he could be.

"And to think that the clock isn't even reading 7.30 yet…"

Kakashi's laughter rang through the house, and he finally believed in the rumors of the Casablanca Mansion. Because meeting and falling in love with a bashful, stern and totally bipolar teacher couldn't be anything else than a blessing.

_Rumors indeed. Now… how will I make him move into my rooms?_

TBC...

_Teaser: Kiba discovered something new about Itachi then. Fucking Itachi and being fucked by Itachi… were two entirely different things. The Uchiha had been rather submissive and mellow as a bottom, letting the younger man handle him as he pleased. Kiba had made the mistake to think he'd be a gentle top. But no… It turned out Itachi was a living embodiment of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde._


End file.
